While the summer of Chappell Roan’s domination rages on, there’s another queer, redheaded artist who should be on your radar: Texas-born, Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Allison Ponthier, who dropped her debut song “Cowboy” in 2020 and followed that up with three tightly edited projects, the most recent of which, Breaking The Fourth Wall, closed out her EP trilogy. Her intimate look at coping with anxiety and feeling estranged from her conservative Southern upbringing as a gay musician have gained her fans across the country, including Maren Morris, The Japanese House, and NIKI.
Ponthier has also curated a signature look on stage, embodying the best of both Dolly Parton and Florence Welch in country-leaning blouses and flowy dresses. Her take on Western style makes her the ideal campaign star for Cider’s Fall 2024 collection with its rodeo-ready vests, silk maxi skirts, and patterned wrap tops. In honor of her leading-lady moment, NYLON caught up with Ponthier about her show-packed summer, her style inspirations, and her dream girl group.
What drew you to partner with Cider?
I grew up around a lot of Western style influences in Texas, and that’s one of the things that drew me to this collaboration and this collection specifically. There are a lot of trends I love playing with, just like with songwriting. I’m not just one aesthetic: I love Western wear, but I also love menswear and ‘70s romantic wear.
You opened for The Japanese House this summer. What did you learn from that experience?
The Japanese House was so fun, open, and accepting. It was exactly what I needed. Tour can be healing, in a way. One thing I learned from that tour is that queer audiences love music, regardless of genre. She and I make different music genre-wise, but the audience responded to me as an opener. That’s something I identify with as well: I’m looking for someone telling a compelling story.
You’ll be opening for NIKI this fall. How are you preparing?
She and I have been internet friends for a while, so I was gagged when she asked me to come on tour. We both have coming-of-age themes in our projects, so I’m so excited to tour with her. The last two tours I’ve done have just been a duo, but this tour is with a full band. There’s something exciting about doing it with the full band for this tour.
You’ve talked about your struggle with anxiety in the past. How do you manage your anxiety on tour?
Honestly, this entire job is an exercise in mental health. It’s a lot of talking to yourself and checking in. At the first show, I’m always like, “Oh my God, I don’t know if I can do it. This is so stressful.” I try to remember that the audience are my friends. It’s hard to do, but even through shaking, crying, screaming, throwing up, you can be like, “I’m excited.” If you remember the crowd wants to connect with you, then you’re going to walk out and see a bunch of faces that are going to dissolve your anxiety. I also have a great support system: I have a therapist, I have a girlfriend, and I have my friends.
“Cowboy” came out in 2020. How did it feel to have such a positive response to that song?
“Cowboy” is my most autobiographical song. I’ll probably say it’s my favorite song I’ve written in my entire life, not only because of the things that it’s done for me career-wise, but also what it’s done for me emotionally. “Cowboy” was a song I never thought I would show other people because I was like, “Oh, this is too much of me.” But people want to hear your story, and a lot of the songs that feel specific are the ones people will find themselves in.
I was touched that this was the song we used for this campaign because so much of my identity comes in how I present as a queer person. It’s the way I put my clothes on, the way I walk and move around in the world.
Can we expect a full-length album from you soon?
I have so many songs; I was going through all of them a couple days ago, and it’s like 50, 60 songs. I do think it’s time for me to do a bigger project, a big-girl project, some may say. I’m playing an unreleased song called “Everywhere Isn’t Texas” on the tour, which is a song about my hopes and dreams for Texas being a more accepting place, not just for queer people, but for people with different stories.
Who’s your dream music collaborator?
I would love, love, love, love to collaborate with Hayley Williams. I would love to collaborate with Brandi Carlile and Ethel Cain. They’re all women in music who are inspired by country music in totally different ways. I want us to form the most insane girl group of all time. It would be crazy, but also maybe open a black hole and heal the earth.
